This according to an older, progressive, flaming liberal, hippy San Francisco area couple who happen to be the epitome of the PC movement, and quite possibly the lamest people on the planet.
Flashback to Sunday Night Football September 15th, where the Seattle Seahawks hosted their division rival the San Francisco 49er’s, and what turned out to be an epic battle of possibly the two most physical teams in the league right now. Both teams struggled against the opposing defense, and points were very hard to come by. The game was also the season opener for Century Link Field, the fans were already rabid, and are well known as the NFL’s version of the 12th Man. Dating back to the days when the Seahawks were in the AFC, playing in the Kingdome, the young, enthusiastic and incredibly loud fanbase built a reputation to opposing offenses, that you better have your hand signals and silent counts polished, because you were going to need them the entire game. To make the crowd noise even more of a focal point for this particular game, the Guiness Book of World Records were on hand to register the volume and see if a record could be broken, which actually was broken twice during the game. You could tell the noise was definitely a factor as Colin Kaepernick was seen screaming in his huddle to his teammates who were bunched in a super-tight huddle. In other words, exactly what every team hopes happens to their opponents, when they’re on offense during a game.
Not according to San Francisco residents Judy Spelman and Rich Schiller, the authors of the following Letter to the Editor of the San Francisco Chronicle. Remember, this is an actual letter published in a newspaper.
Was anyone else appalled by the unsportsmanlike conduct of the Seattle Seahawks and their fans, juiced on noise, which surely creates as big an advantage over an opponent as any performance enhancing drug and which, to their shame, NFL officials turn the same blind eye they have to concussions and drugs?
It would be simple to fix. Seahawks players and managers would ask their fans to cease and desist, and the NFL would implement a new rule: The visiting team may stop the game when fan noise is greater than a specified decibel level, and should this rule be violated in more than three games, no home games will be played at the offending field for the rest of the season, including playoff games. Things would quiet down.
At a time when the world seems sour, sports give us a place of joy, community and hope, and to have it spoiled is a bigger loss than it seems on the surface.
Judy Spelman & Rich Schiller
So according to these guys, it is Unsportsmanlike Conduct to cheer loudly for your team. In fact the players become “juiced” with the noise and I guess become almost superhuman, and gain strength and dexterity points like video game characters…or something. Yea, can you imagine the day that Pete Carrol, calls a press conference so he can ask the 12’s to “cease and desist” such a horrid display of unfairness to the visiting team. Maybe I’m going overboard, maybe the letter isn’t being read correctly…luckily the couple also did a radio interview with Seattle’s KIRO Radio Station. Let’s listen.
http://kiroradio.com/listen/9961573
It’s supposed to be a fair and level playing field in all aspects of the game whether your team is playing at home or on the road according to these two. There should be no advantage for either team. Where does it end? Seattle notoriously has issues on the road with East Coast games. According to these protectors of fairness, the games should never start for them until 1pm pst, which of course would be 4pm games while on the east Coast. What about open stadiums and domes? One team may be more used to playing in harsh weather or dealing with wind than the other…unfair. The Denver Broncos have Peyton Manning, arguably the best QB in the game today…that’s not very fair if they have to play the Browns who happen to be starting relatively unknown Brain Hoyer who happens to be their 3rd string QB. The Broncos should have to start their 3rd string QB as well…in the name of fairness.
You know how I know these people are batshit crazy…Rich is a pharmacist, podiatrist and homeopath and works as a podiatrist with the Coastal Health Alliance in Point Reyes Station, California, and loves to paint, and quietly watch football. His lovely, yet equally batshit crazy wife, whom by the way has kept her own name, despite being married, y’know cuz woman power, is an avid Barack Obama supporter and loves socialized health care, and her 49er’s #1 Foam Finger, which she keeps packed discretely away in her special “toy” drawer.. They’re in their 60’s, and it’s horrible to say, but that baby boom hippy generation have been the worse thing to ever happen to this country. Their parents were hardcore and lived through WW2 and somehow, absolutely failed raising the next generation. That’s another rant for a later date…but for now, look at these hoodlums. They need to be stopped. Others are trying to enjoy the game too.
White Devil Blog 
Ahhhhh poor babies get over it! I assume you can’t gather enough 49er fans to make that kind of record for noise. If you were here and u didnt have ear plugs thats your fault! 4whiners!!
I am not a Seattle fan or hater so my comment is completely unbiased. Where it is unfair is that Seattle is able to create the noise because of it’s geographic location coupled with low clouds and low pressure system. A stadium like Miami could never make that much no matter how loud they yelled. For you to have the advantage to not allow apposing teams to audible is BS. It is sad for Seahawks cause they are a good team and it takes away from their wins, Unfortunately I have to give the MVP award to the architect of the stadium who managed to maximize the acoustics of the stadium. The reason it is different than a dome or time zone advantage is because those teams have to play games outside at some point or travel westward. Seahawks will never have to play in the same type of noise pollution as their opponents, When you are literally making it impossible for a QB to change the play to react to a defensive lineup you are affecting the game, and taking away from the talent. If all teams had the capability to create the same volume it would be different, I have been to Century Link Field, showed up early and I could hear people talking 100 ft away.
So where does it stop EM? Miami wears their away uniforms for home games that are played when the temperature can be extremely hot and different from where the opposing teams are used to playing. Going from living and practicing in 20% humidity and 65 degrees is a hell of a lot different than showing up for one game at 98% humidity and 94 degrees. Imagine the Panthers, Raiders, or even Seattle with their dark jerseys on in that temp? Crazy hot!
I’ve also been to CenturyLink Field and I don’t remember being able to hear someone from 100 feet away. That’s a bit of a stretch. The stadium was built with the intention of giving the fans an opportunity to be as close to the field as possible, and for the stadium to pay homage to their past Kingdome that was always a loud stadium as well. I’ve also been to Joe Robbie or whatever they call it now, and you’re right, a Miami crowd doesn’t have any chance of being as loud, because the stadium sucks and most seats are not even close to the field. Your theory about low clouds and low pressure is just crazy. This statement makes no sense.
“The reason it is different than a dome or time zone advantage is because those teams have to play games outside at some point or travel westward. Seahawks will never have to play in the same type of noise pollution as their opponents”
Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City is just as loud as Seattle so the argument that nobody else does that is wrong as well. Even the Superdome in New Orleans is extremely loud….I just don’t get the argument.
I won’t get into the physics of how sound travels. I will just say that the identical stadium in a high pressure area like Miami or Carolina would not be nearly as loud. And if you think that someone wearing a darker Jersey and a QB not being able to communicate with his team are even close in comparison than you and I watch a different game. When an exterior obsolescence that changes the way a team plays and the other team is not effected it is a problem. I agree with you on KC. It is also a problem. I ask you the same thing where does it stop. If say Chicago were to lower the barrier on their stadium only when apposing team is against the wind it would be BS. I see this as that much of a hindrance. In this day and age of football the audible is such a crucial tool for QB’s. To take that away from a team like NO who are such a diverse offense is wrong for the game. Maybe I am off the mark, just the way I see it. I have a feeling the NFL will agree and intervene. I know you are a Seattle fan so I don’t plan to convince you. If Russel Wilson was to not be able to play his game due to crowd interference I would be saying the same thing. And yes when the decibels of your stadium literally shake the ground equivalent to a small earthquake it is defiantly crowd interference.
Thanks for sparing me the physics lesson.
There are ways around calling an “audible” audible. Use hand signals. Or better yet, be creative and come up with something that changes the game again, like Chip Kelly’s boards.
Something tells me, besides your claim of not having a dog in the fight, that you’re a 49er fan. Maybe the crowd there this weekend will try to be as involved in the game as Seattle fans, or Chiefs fans.
I guess you also have a problem with the Cameron Crazies of Duke basketball games. Jumping up and down, waving their hands when an opponent is shooting a free throw…chanting, singing and genuinely having a good time. They should have to move the student section and only allow the old fuddy duddies to sit close to the court so that they don’t interfere with the action on the court. Brilliant. How fun!
Maybe the stadiums around the country shouldn’t be allowed to play music, and have a jumbotron encouraging the fans to “Get Loud!” or cheer for their teams.
You need to remember the history of Seattle. The league did implement a rule regarding crowd noise, partly because of the noise in The Kingdome. They got rid of it for a reason. It’s stupid, and you can’t tell fans how they can enjoy a game. They threw a flag, made an announcement to quiet down and the noise increased. After that season the rule was removed or at least disregarded.
No, you’ll never change my opinion on this subject.
I will address each point in order. First off Drew Brees can audible to any play in playbook which there are close to 100 different plays. Do you want these guys to learn sign language?, How will the linemen know what the play is when they are facing the line of scrimmage? Rams fan. And no I do not think it will be because of fans that Seattle will beat us. Although I will say that us losing by 1 yard at home will be way closer than it will be in Seattle, fortunately Clemens is too dumb to call an audible. Your Duke point would only be valid if only a few teams in the league were allowed to put students behind basket. Outside of that I am cool. Are teams allowed to blast their country music when prior to the QB snapping the ball? And why not? Did you say the Kingdome. The old stadium in Seattle built in 1976? Hmm What is the common denominator in those two stadiums, throws you stadium construction theory out the window or am I too believe that the vocal cords in Seattle residents are just that much superior too the rest of the country? Lastly I am glad that you support the NFL in their decision making. I listened to several ideas as too how the NFL is going to correct this issue, so when they make a rule that controls the noise situation you will agree with me. The reason they changed the rule and this is directly from Roger’s mouth was due to lack of ticket sales. Not because it added to the game. This is not a black and white issue, I am not saying the fans should not cheer for their team, I am just saying some type of line needs to be drawn. By the way the decibels in your stadium are 7 points higher than the level that can cause permanent hearing loss. I only home that it is not some kid that is the first to be a victim of this. So you know Frisco is my least favorite team in the NFL so for me to be even arguing this side shows I am not being bias at all. I think this weekend will be clear evidence as to the advantage Seattle has at home, I promise you that they will not beat the crap out of SF like they did earlier in the season. As a matter of fact I believe San Fran wins this one. Nice arguing with you. I applaud you sticking to your point no matter how incorrect it is. Sign of a true American
Wow.
That was a compliment.
Hmmm. Looked like a different game than their first match. Wonder what the difference was to go from a 26 point victory to a 2 point defeat.
Against better judgement, I’ll feed the troll.
The difference is that the game was in San Francisco. Nobody is denying that the Seahawks play better at home OFFENSIVELY. It’s more of a vibe and pumped up to play. Always has been. The 49er crowd didn’t have any affect on the Seahawks offense at all, in case that is what you’re implying. I think the 49er fans did a really good job of trying to be loud, even the stadium sound team did a great job playing loud music until the absolute last possible second, which is something I’ve never noticed in a football game before. The 49er’s did what a team that was predicted to win the Super Bowl this year is supposed to do, win a tight, hard fought game at home.
I did think of another cause for you to rally for in your quest for “fairness”. In Denver, a new record was set for longest field goal made in a game of 64 yards. 3 of the 5 longest field goals ever made, have been in the thin air of Mile High Stadium. That can’t possibly be fair for the rest of the league when it comes to scoring, can it?
BTW, after you admitted to being a Rams fan I could understand your butthurt mentality, but the future is bright for you guys. Thanks to the stupidity of the Redskins, you guys have the picks to build a decent team.
I only hope no children were made deaf at the game…that loud foghorn had to be damaging somehow. I just wish someone would think of the children! I also applaud you for being such a dedicated troll as to keep coming back to my little blog to discuss this…it’s the sign of a true douchebag.
Ha! Great comeback. Ill entertain your unwilliness to see my point. The kicker for the apposing team in denver can also kick in the same thin air. I am my combination of ADD and compulsiveness has locked on to your little blog. I have an inability to call BS when i see it. No matter how insugnificant the source. I will try to keep it under control.
I’ve been waiting to see if you were ever going to come back and say anything about the Super Bowl win, but I guess not.